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Thornhill



by
Pam Smy

Edition
Hardcover edition
Publisher
Macmillan
Imprint
Roaring Brook
ISBN
9781626726543

Awards and Honors
2018-2019 Soaring Eagle Award Final Nominee ALSC Notable Children’s Books 2018, All Ages
VOYA’s Top Shelf Fiction for Middle School Readers 2017
Kirkus Reviews Best Books of 2017, Middle Grade
New York Public Library Best Books for Kids 2017
POTENTIALLY SENSITIVE AREAS
Discrimination: Reference/Discussion, Violence: Strong Violence, Violence: Mild Violence, Crime: General
$20.76   $17.30
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QTY
Out of stock

Parallel plotlines, one told in text and one in art, inform each other as a young girl unravels the mystery of a ghost next door. Black-and-white illustrations.

POTENTIALLY SENSITIVE AREAS
Discrimination: Reference/Discussion, Violence: Strong Violence, Violence: Mild Violence, Crime: General

Details

Format

Print

Page Count

544

Trim Size

8 1/4" x 5 3/4"

AR

4.6: points 3

Lexile

730L

Genre

Fiction

Scholastic Reading Counts

6

JLG Release

Sep 2017

Book Genres


Topics

Bullying. Orphanages. Selective mutism. Conduct of life. Puppets. Ghosts. Foster homes. Mysteries. Horror stories. Graphic novels.

Standard MARC Records

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Cover Art

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Praise & Reviews

Starred or favorable reviews have been received from these periodicals:

Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books*, The Horn Book Magazine, Kirkus Reviews*, Publishers Weekly*, Voice of Youth Advocates (VOYA)

Horn Book

Spare diary entries relate twelve-year-old orphan Mary’s heart-wrenching experience at the soon-to-be-shuttered Thornhill Institute in 1982. Electively mute, sensitive, and creative, Mary makes an obvious target for a sadistic bully (whom Mary refers to only, and ominously, as she); the torment causes her to become ever more withdrawn. Alternating Selznick-style (The Invention of Hugo Cabret, rev. 3/07) with Mary’s narrative is another one told entirely in atmospheric blackand- white illustrations: in 2017, Ella moves with her single, never-present father into a house overlooking the now-abandoned Thornhill. Ella’s investigation into Thornhill’s past, her discovery of Mary’s diary, and her overtures of friendship to the mysterious girl she glimpses at Thornhill, made through a mutual interest in the art of puppetry, gradually reveal Mary’s fate. The separate stories of these two desperately lonely girls intertwine in a conclusion that’s both devastating and fitting. The suspenseful ghost story and the highly visual format make for an undeniable page-turner, but text and illustrations alike reward careful attention with telling details. Gothic fiction serves as inspiration for both the book’s style and the imaginations of its protagonists (check out the books and posters in Ella’s bedroom), and Smy does the genre proud. katie bircher

Praise & Reviews

Horn Book

Spare diary entries relate twelve-year-old orphan Mary’s heart-wrenching experience at the soon-to-be-shuttered Thornhill Institute in 1982. Electively mute, sensitive, and creative, Mary makes an obvious target for a sadistic bully (whom Mary refers to only, and ominously, as she); the torment causes her to become ever more withdrawn. Alternating Selznick-style (The Invention of Hugo Cabret, rev. 3/07) with Mary’s narrative is another one told entirely in atmospheric blackand- white illustrations: in 2017, Ella moves with her single, never-present father into a house overlooking the now-abandoned Thornhill. Ella’s investigation into Thornhill’s past, her discovery of Mary’s diary, and her overtures of friendship to the mysterious girl she glimpses at Thornhill, made through a mutual interest in the art of puppetry, gradually reveal Mary’s fate. The separate stories of these two desperately lonely girls intertwine in a conclusion that’s both devastating and fitting. The suspenseful ghost story and the highly visual format make for an undeniable page-turner, but text and illustrations alike reward careful attention with telling details. Gothic fiction serves as inspiration for both the book’s style and the imaginations of its protagonists (check out the books and posters in Ella’s bedroom), and Smy does the genre proud. katie bircher

Grades 5-8
Graphic Novels Middle Plus
For Grades 5-8

Book-length narratives presented in comic book style, graphic novels foster both visual and verbal comprehension skills while exposing readers to interesting dialogue and satire, as well as affirming diversity.

JLG's selection of these unique books, some of them only published in softcover, are ideal for attracting reluctant readers and introducing them to literature they might not encounter otherwise. You may find that the 12 books in this category will turn your reluctant readers into eager readers.

14 books per Year
$293.02 per Year
Interests
Diversity,ESL,Fiction,Graphic Novels,Reluctant Readers,Transitional Readers,Funny/Humorous
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Grades 5-8
Graphic Novels Middle Plus
14 books per Year
$293.02 per Year

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